The defence chief get presidential order to stop killing in Jos

The serial
killings in Jos,
the
beleaguered
Plateau State
capital and its environs, got
President Goodluck Jonathan
cracking yesterday.
Dr Jonathan directed Chief of
Defence Staff Air Marshal
Oluseyi Petinrin to end the
killings immediately.
No fewer than 100 persons –
most of them members of
same families – have been
killed in attacks on homes in
villages within the last few
days.
The President also scheduled
a meeting with Governor
Jonah Jang today in Abuja
over the security situation in
the Northcentral state.
Rumours of attacks have been
circulating through text
messages in the state.
Many residents are having
sleepless nights over threats
of attacks.
The presidential directive,
which is with “immediate
effect,” was delivered after
yesterday’s security meeting
at the Presidential Villa.
Vice President Namadi Sambo,
security chiefs and the
National Security Adviser
(NSA), Gen. Andrew Azazi,
attended the three-hour
meeting.
A statement by presidential
spokesman Reuben Abati
said:
“In keeping with his avowed
resolve to ensure the full
security of lives and property
across the country, President
Jonathan has directed the
Chief of Defence Staff, Air
Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin, to
take full charge of the security
situation in Plateau State
immediately and take all
necessary actions to stop the
recent spate of killings in the
state.
“Following a meeting of the
National Security Council,
President Jonathan also
directed the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation,
Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, to
bring up all pending reports
by recent committees set up
by the Federal Government on
the Plateau for immediate
review and implementation.
“President Jonathan, who is
scheduled to meet with the
Plateau State Governor, Chief
Jonah Jang tomorrow, further
directed the National
Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA) to take prompt
action to address the plight of
internally displaced persons in
Plateau State.
“He renewed his call on
parties involved in the crises
in Plateau State to embrace
tolerance, dialogue and
compromise to ensure the
success of ongoing efforts to
achieve a lasting resolution of
their differences.”
The state police command
said it has uncovered the plan
by some youths to invade Jos
and cause further loss of lives
and property.
Rumours are rife of Muslims
mobilising youths from
outside the state to assist
them in attacking Christians in
Jos.
Text messages are being
circulated. People who have
relatives in Jos have been
calling their loved ones to alert
them.
One of such messages
indicated that many trucks
had been assembled to
convey youths from some
parts of the North to Jos for
the impending attack.
The police, who have been
monitoring movements into
the city in the last few days,
confirmed that they had
noticed an unusual influx of
youths from some states in
the North into Jos on
motorcycles.
In a statement yesterday, the
state police command said:
“Consequent upon the influx
of youths from other states of
the North into Plateau with
many unregistered
motorcycles, the Plateau State
Police Command wishes to
inform all owners of
unregistered motorcycles to
get them registered
forthwith.”
The statement, signed by the
Police Public Relations Officer
Apev Jacob, an ASP, said: “This
is to prevent them from being
used for criminal purposes.
“We want to warn that any
person who flouts this
directive by using such
unregistered motorcycle will
be traced, arrested and
prosecuted, in accordance
with provisions of the road
traffic Act.
“The command also wishes to
state in clear terms that
security is a collective
business and should therefore
be devoid of ethnic, religious
and political sentiments.
“Finally we want to reaffirm
our commitment and
determination to provide
maximum security to all law
abiding citizens in the state.”The serial
killings in Jos,
the
beleaguered
Plateau State
capital and its environs, got
President Goodluck Jonathan
cracking yesterday.
Dr Jonathan directed Chief of
Defence Staff Air Marshal
Oluseyi Petinrin to end the
killings immediately.
No fewer than 100 persons –
most of them members of
same families – have been
killed in attacks on homes in
villages within the last few
days.